The Cast Of Lizzie McGuire Where Are They Now?
Between 2001 and 2004, we were blessed with Lizzie McGuire. The adventures of Lizzie, played by Hilary Duff and her best friends Gordo and Miranda as they battled against popular kids, unfair teachers and irritating family members had millions of fans falling in love, and feeling like they were part of the McGuire family!
It's been more than a decade since this show came to an end, but don't think for a second that our feelings for this hilarious group of characters have dissipated over the years. In actual fact, we were more eager than ever to find out what they've been up to since leaving the show, so we did some detective work into the lives of our fave LMG characters. While some of them haven't strayed far from the world of acting, others are barely recognizable these days!
What's your favorite character doing in 2017? It's time to find out!
15 Hilary Duff: Still a Star
Out of all the LMG stars, Hilary Duff has undoubtedly been the easiest to keep track of. Directly after The Lizzie McGuire Movie was released, Duff went through a metamorphosis and transformed into the ultimate teen idol. She was starring in massive flicks like Cinderella Story, Cheaper by the Dozen, and Raise Your Voice, and even had a multi-platinum album out. She was essentially the Miley Cyrus of the early 2000s, minus the twerking. So what is she up to now? The biggest change would be her gorgeous little son Luca, who she had with ex-husband Mike Comrie. Today she's a hardworking mom, actress, and musician (and we can't even find time to get to the gym!), with an estimated 15 million records sold. She's seen success in movies like The Perfect Man and Material Girls, and has done more TV shows since LMG, namely Gossip Girl and Younger. Not everything has changed for Duff, though: apparently Aaron Carter still wants her back!
14 Adam Lamberg: Not Quite a Director
Unlike his former on-screen crush, Adam Lamberg, who played Lizzie's BFF David “Gordo” Gordon, has been a lot harder to follow. Playing an intelligent nerd with strong moral fiber who couldn't tell Lizzie how he really felt for years, Lamberg went out with a bang, finally getting his kiss from Lizzie in the movie, and on a rooftop in Rome no less! After that, he appeared in two independent films, but ultimately decided to give acting the flick in 2008. That year, he graduated from Berkley with a degree in geography, and now lives in New York City where he works, not as a director like Gordo always wanted, but for the Irish Arts Center as an assistant events coordinator. For a short time, he had an Instagram, but also gave that the flick after a while. He might not be interested in the acting thing anymore, but he did confirm to a fan that he definitely doesn't regret his time as Gordo.
13 Lalaine Vergara Paras: The Time of Her Life
Without doing any research, we can tell you one thing Lalaine Vergara Paras didn't do after the TV series wrapped up: reprise her role as Miranda Sanchez in The Lizzie McGuire Movie. Yes, our feelings are still hurt. It's been reported that she chose not to do the film so she could focus on other projects, especially launching her music career, and had some success with her independently released album Inside Story in 2003. In 2007, she went through the troubled phase that many child stars fall into, and was found possessing some illegal substances. She's cleaned up her act since then, appearing in films like Easy A and One Night Alone, as well as the Web series Raymond and Lane. Between 2010 and 2011, she was the bassist in the band Vanity Theft, staying true to her music roots. You can follow her exciting life on her Instagram, @thelalaine, where she posts snaps of travel and plenty of throwbacks.
12 Ashlie Brillault: Success of a Different Kind
We couldn't stand Ashlie Brillault's character, Kate Sanders, until the movie when she eventually turned into a decent person, symbolized by the enthusiasm with which she finally eats spaghetti with Ethan Craft. As is turns out, Brillault isn't nearly as nasty as Kate was! After saying goodbye to her mean girl character, Brillault gave up acting and received a B.A. in political science from California State University, before going to law school in Colorado. There, she met her future husband, with whom she now has her own little girl. After completing law school, she became a Criminal Defense Attorney at Long Beach's The Law offices of David Givot & The Law Offices of David Borsari. She's also a board member for Kids with a Cause, and has helped with other organizations, including DARE and the Long Beach Child Cancer Center. Just when you thought she couldn't get any less Kate-like!
11 Jake Thomas: All Grown Up
You won't believe how much this guy has grown up! Jake Thomas provided a lot of laughs as Matt, Lizzie's younger, scheming and mischievous brother. During his time as a child star, Thomas also appeared alongside Haley Joel Osment in A.I: Artificial Intelligence, portrayed a young Hugh Hefner and starred on Cory in the House, the That's So Raven spin-off. Undeniably talented, Thomas kept acting even after he grew out of his cheeky face, appearing in shows like Ghost Whisperer, House, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, Touched by an Angel, and CSI: NY. He also appeared on the Web Series Storytellers in a six-episode arc. Aside from being a professional actor, Thomas is also a passionate photographer, posting his work on his Instagram, @sirjakethomas. He's a fan of posting the odd Lizzie-era snap of him and his co-stars, so make sure to check out his page. You won't be disappointed!
10 Hallie Todd: Still a Boss
As much as she thwarted Lizzie's plans to be cool (remember when Lizzie wasn't allowed to go to Danny Kessler's pool party?!), Jo McGuire was one of the best TV moms ever. Her family was her whole life, and she went from sweet lady cooking tuna casserole to lioness defending her cubs whenever her kids were in danger. She also gave the best advice, even if Lizzie couldn't see it! After finishing up as Mrs. McGuire, Hallie Todd kept up her acting, cementing her position as an icon of the craft. She starred as Melinda Miller in the 2017 film The Last Champion, and appeared in the American Girl video Lea to the Rescue. Her resume also contains projects that pre-date LMG, including Brothers, Murder, She Wrote, Going Places, and Life with Roger. Todd also has her own acting studio in California's Santa Barbara, where she passes on her skills to a whole new generation of potential stars!
9 Robert Carradine: A Few More Greys
Who could forget Jo McGuire's partner in crime, her awkward, gnome-loving, good-cop husband, Sam. Robert Carradine had already achieved a reasonable level of fame by the time he set foot on the LMG set, having appeared in the Revenge of the Nerds franchise which was popular in the 1980s. He also appeared in Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire in 2000, playing Van Helsing the vampire hunter. Carradine has done quite a bit since finishing up as Sam McGuire, having added a couple more films to his repertoire, including Supercross, Tooth and Nail, and the blockbuster hit Django Unchained. He also hosted and served as the executive producer for the show King of the Nerds. While driving with his estranged wife in 2015, the two were involved in a head-on smash in Colorado, but luckily, none of them were harmed in the incident. Carradine has also caught up with ex-co-star Jake Thomas since leaving the show.
8 Clayton Snyder: Water Polo Dreams
Did anybody else secretly have a crush on Ethan Craft back in the day? Yes, he was the dumbest student at Hillridge Junior High, once asking Frankie Muniz how he got out of the TV, but he was so cute! Very appealing to a pre-teen whose brains are still developing… Clayton Snyder pursued other interests after the show ended, finding a lot of success as a water polo player at Pepperdine University and then playing the sport professionally in Europe. He came back to Disney and appeared as Lucas in the series Second Star, and also appeared in the 2016 YouTube series Edgar Allan Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party. In an interview he did with MTV, he said that he scored a role in a musical production of Back to the Future and a short film for USC. Like some of the other cast members, Snyder has an Instagram that is definitely worth looking up!
7 Haylie Duff: Mommy & Businesswoman
You totally forgot that Hilary's older sister, Haylie Duff, appeared in Lizzie McGuire, didn't you? Yep, she played Kate's older and irresponsible cousin Amy, who was supposed to be the chaperone at Kate's 14th birthday party, which Lizzie wasn't allowed to go to (good call, Jo). Duff also provided the singing voice for Isabella Parigi in The Lizzie McGuire Movie, even though everyone thought it was Hilary performing both parts! What else has Haylie done since then? She starred opposite her sister in Material Girls, and also appeared in Napoleon Dynamite. Like Hilary, Haylie is a songwriter and wrote some of her sister's records, including “Sweet Sixteen” and “Gypsy Woman”. She became engaged in 2014 to Matt Rosenberg and welcomed her first daughter, Ryan Ava Erhard, in 2015. A business woman, Haylie also has her own children's fashion line and cook book and cooking show, which stemmed from her successful cooking blog in 2012.
6 Davida Williams: Not That Nasty
Kate's cheerleader friend Claire Miller was almost as mean as she was. Always accessorizing and running for class president, she totally hid the fact that she still shopped with her mom. Lizzie even notoriously dubbed her the “Claire Witch Project” and despised her as much as she did Kate. But the actress who played her, Davida Williams, was another story! Though their characters might not have gotten along on screen, Williams and Duff were good friends for a while, and Williams even appeared in the Duff vehicle of 2004 (but still one of our favorites), Raise Your Voice. She appeared in a few other projects in the post-LMG years, including As the World Turns between 2008 and 2009, where she played Jade Taylor. She also appeared in an episode of 902190 and Barrio Tales 2 in 2010. Since then she's acted in the TV shows Foursome, Stuck in the Middle and Casual.
5 Yani Gellman: Better At Acting Than Singing
Okay, so Yani Gellman might not have had a role in the series, but he was a huge part of the LMG movie, playing the Paolo Valisari. You know, Paolo as in, “Sing to me, Paolo.” We should have known that something was up with this tone-deaf Italian fiend when Gordo saw straight through him, but like Lizzie, we wanted to believe the best of him and were caught by surprise at the end when he embarrassed himself majorly in the Colosseum. So what is Yani Gellman, who's actually not Italian, doing these days? His popularity after Lizzie helped him to become a regular on the TV shows Wild Card and Monster Warriors, as well as Pretty Little Liars, playing Garrett Reynolds. More recently, he appeared in the horror movie 47 Meters Down, and the TV movie The Saint. His days of fooling school girls to embarrass his ex-singing partner are long gone!
4 Kyle Downes: Always Was Smart
Larry Tudgeman was so dorky that he made Gordo look like a jock. In addition to being the smartest kid in school, Tudgeman was a one-time crusher of Lizzie and a far better actor than Miranda, and you would never catch him in a different shirt to his green-collared fave. Kyle Downes, the actor who played him, isn't nearly so dorky! He achieved some success before he made it onto the show, appearing in Are You Afraid of the Dark and Goosebumps. After LMG, he eventually moved behind the camera and now works as a professional writer, director, and producer. He may have left that signature shirt behind, but he does have a few cool movies under his belt, including 2017's Proxy Kill. Like an ultra-cool dude, he's dropped his first name and now goes by K.J. Downes. Take that, all the kids that bullied him for being a nerd!
3 Christian Copelin: M.I.A.
Matt's best bud Lanny appeared in more than 20 episodes, but his entire time on the show, didn't utter a single word. Only speaking with body language and intense facial expressions, Lanny was able to communicate with Matt, who could somehow understand him. Since appearing in The Seat Filler in 2004, Copelin hasn't added any film credits to his name, though before LMG he appeared in TV shows like ER and Wings of Gold. He did make the best of YouTube by creating a Web Series called Tux, which revolved around a talking dog who Copelin voiced. He does have a Twitter handle, @yesicantalk, which he ironically hasn't used to talk since 2010. Copelin is a lot tougher to keep up with than the other stars of the show, and has dropped off the radar a little bit. Lanny was always a bit of an oddball, so this actor could be up to anything!
2 Carly Schroeder: Heart of Gold
Matt's other and much more sinister best friend was Melina Bianco, the seemingly sweet little blonde girl who gave him and his schemes a run for their money. Always trying to get Matt and Lanny in trouble, Melina eventually became sort of like Matt's girlfriend, eventually encouraging him to take down his sister in the movie. So what became of Melina? Carly Schroeder starred in Eye of the Dolphin in 2006, which earned her the Best Child Actor award at the International Family Film Festival. She also starred in Prep School, for which she won Best Actress, Dramatic Feature at the Studio City Film Festival. Afterwards, she starred in the film Gracie, and appeared in shows like Law & Order: SVU, General Hospital, and Ghost Whisperer. It seems that Schroeder has a much kinder heart than Melina, and is now an animal rights activist, a nutritional advocate, and an environmentalist.
1 Phillip David Lewis: Disney For Life
Phillip David Lewis didn't have a huge role in the LMG series, but his role was important. Appearing in three episodes of the show's two-season run, he played Principal Tweedy, the principal of Hillridge Junior High School, who had more say over Lizzie, Miranda, and Gordo's daily lives at school than anyone else. You might remember him from the episode where Matt pretends to be a new kid at Lizzie's school, and tricks the principal into thinking he's a child prodigy. After LMG, he starred as Mr. Moseby, the manager of the hotel on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody in 2005. He also acted in other Disney shows like Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place a few years later, alongside future stars Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez. In addition to his work in children's and teenage shows, he also appeared in a couple of episodes of American Dad! and Scrubs.